1. Field of Invention
The thrust of applicant""s invention is to provide a work top which can be temporarily moved aside by simply being pushed or pulling it to slide it back onto a keyboard shelf of a piece of computer furniture that has a pull-out keyboard shelf. The device is adjustable to fit varying thicknesses of cart or desk tops and is also adjustable to fit over shelves, such as keyboard shelves, that may be pulled out at varying distances.
The device is simplistic in that the final adjustments need to be made only once; that is, when the device is first placed over the cart or desk top and the movable parts under the device are placed at its proper setting. The only required tool is a screwdriver.
Further, after the adjustments have been made, the device may be installed or be removed by simply placing it onto the pull-out keyboard shelf and by lifting it off the keyboard shelf.
The device, further, may be used by both left-handed and right-handed users. Still further, two of the devices may be used simultaneously. One may be placed at the left for a book and the other at the right to write.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A search of the prior art has uncovered the following patents: Cope, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,631; Foster, U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,214; Pirkle, U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,112; Mueller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,089; Hancock, U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,817; and two patents to Burch Jr., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,042,075 and 6,109,585.
No single reference cited above and found during our search discloses all the features of applicant""s invention, although some of these prior art references do disclose some, but not all, of the elements of this invention.
The Cope, et al patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,631, is of some interest for its disclosure in FIG. 1 of Items 4, 7, 8, 9, and 13. Also of interest is the language contained in Column 3, Line 63 through Column 4, Line 15.
The Foster patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,214 is of interest for the language contained in Column 1, Lines 53-68. However, the mechanism for operation of this movable copy support surface 30 is described in Column 4, Line 24-38 and it seems to be substantially different from applicant""s invention.
The Pirkoe patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,112, relating to a computer work station, discloses elements 20, 26 or 28, but which are not movable from side to side.
The Mueller patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,089, is a guided tabletop platform which teaches a roller-equipped platform movably supported upon a tabletop along with stop elements at opposite ends of a track to limit the extent of side ways movement of the platform upon the tabletop. This is clearly and obviously different from applicant""s invention.
The patent to Hancock, U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,817, is of minimal interest for teaching of a computer desk top with tilted work surface. In this patent, there are a plurality of transfers rails which are removably positioned at selected positions across the upper surface of a work surface panel. Further, there are rails 40 serve to hold papers, books, files, accessories, et cetera in positions selected by placement of the rails on the surface of panel 16 which prevents the items from sliding down the panel.
It is not seen that any of the above cited references either taken singularly or in combination, discloses the concept of applicant""s invention as will be claimed below.
According to the present invention, there is provided a slide away work top for use with a piece of computer furniture that has a pull-out keyboard shelf. Normally, when a keyboard shelf is pulled out toward the user the computer operator is disadvantageously positioned at some distance from the computer furniture top itself. Thus, in this position, there is no readily convenient place to write or to place a book, etc. Further, especially when using this device for holding a book, the book can readily be set aside any number of times while the computer is being operated.
With the device taught by this invention the slide-away work top provides a work surface for the computer operator which can be easily and temporarily pushed to one side and then, when necessary, pulling it to slide it back on to the keyboard shelf that the computer operator is using.
In addition, this slide-away work top is very easily adjustable to fit cart tops and desk tops which are of varying thicknesses. Still further, and quite advantageously, such slide-away work top can also be adjusted to fit over such keyboard shelves that may be pulled out at varying distances.
A very important feature is that once the invention is placed onto the keyboard shelf and is adjusted to meet the user""s conditions, the adjustments, made with a common screwdriver, need be made only once. Thus, after such final adjustments are made, the slide-away work top may be installed by quite easily placing it onto the keyboard shelf and can then be removed by lifting it off the shelf.
It should be obvious that this work top may be used by either a left or right handed person. In fact, two such slide-away work tops may be used simultaneously. As an example, one work top maybe placed at the left for a book and the other may be placed at the right to write.
In essence, the invention comprises essentially eight (8) basic components. Further, while not forming a part of the invention, a plastic piece may be provided to prevent wear of the cart top or desk top edge. It is merely placed on the front edge of such top and will not be fastened to the computer furniture itself. The underside of such plastic piece comprises a non-slip material.
The basic or main components of the invention are essentially eight (8) elements. There is provided the basic hardboard top which may have each of four (4) corners slightly rounded, although that is not a requirement. Fastened to this hardboard top near one edge, which will later be described as its lower edge, is a stop member extending length wise across the hardboard top which serves to prevent a paper or book from sliding off the hardboard top when it is in its slanted or angled position. A rail member is disposed on the underside of the hardboard top, near the edge having the stop member, which rail slidably engages a guide member which is mounted to the pull-out keyboard shelf itself. It should be noted that this member or rail is angled such that it will compensate for any disparity which would be the angle between the hardboard top and the existing keyboard shelf. A wrist rest or ergonomic wrist support pad would normally be disposed at the edge of the pull-out shelf slightly forward of the guide in which the rail slides.
A guide plate is affixed to the underside of the hardboard top for reasons to be more fully described below, and it has two or any other convenient number of counter sunk screws so that these screws are flush, thereby facilitating attachment of this guide plate to the underside of the hardboard top. Such screws further have one adjustment knob which thread onto the screws.
It will be seen in the drawings and in the description below that this guide plate comprises three sections. Slidably engaging the desired section of the guide plate is an adjustment plate having an angled vertical member which will compensate for the difference in angle between the hardboard top of this invention and the existing desk top. Such adjustment plate helps keep another adjustment plate parallel with the existing desk top. This other adjustment plate butts up against the underside of the desk top and will therefore sandwich such desk top between this plate and the underside of the hardboard top which forms the subject matter of this invention. This plate may be adjusted up and down or, vertically. The first mentioned adjustment plate can move fore and aft and it further comprises a slot which will slidably engage the aforementioned counter sunk screw on the guide plate itself. This slidable adjustment plate will butt up against the front edge of the desk or cart top when it is slid into the guide plate. This adjustment plate provides for adjustment of the invention to the varying distances that the keyboard shelf may be pulled out.
Fastened to the keyboard shelf itself, forward of a standard wrist rest, is a guide in which the aforementioned rail slides such that the hardboard top which forms the subject matter of this invention, may be easily pushed or pulled.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a work top for any piece of computer furniture having a keyboard shelf which is pulled out.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a work top that can slide away from or toward a computer operator.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide such a work top which may be installed on a pulled out keyboard shelf and furniture top.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide such a work top that can be easily and temporarily removed from the computer furniture.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide such a work top wherein a lip is provided to prevent a book, paper, or any other document, from sliding off this work top.
It is still further an object of the invention to provide such a work top wherein such work top may be adjusted to allow for the distance that a computer keyboard is pulled from any computer furniture and also which may be adjusted to the thickness of such furniture top.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide such a work top wherein the foregoing adjustments need to be made only once when the device is first installed over the computer operator""s keyboard shelf.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein, like reference characters refer to corresponding parts in the several views.